Chapter 394: Making Rumors

Yan Liqiang entered the palace for an audience on the 16th day of the eighth lunar month. On the 17th day, the very next morning, Yan Liqiang left the Imperial Academy of Medicine with a bunch of medicinal pills that had been given to him. He returned to Deer Villa to hand over his tasks there, and also to bid his farewell to Li Hongtu and Ji Xiaoyao.

Since Yan Liqiang was leaving the Imperial Capital to accept his new title as the Qiyun Protectorate General, his title as the Deer Villa’s Deputy Manager would become a thing of the past. For now, Yan Liqiang only carried the honorary title of the Armed Imperial Guard of the Fifth Grade.

In this regard, Yan Liqiang felt rather relieved. The Qiyun Protectorate General rank didn’t come with a grade and it suited him perfectly.

The Emperor gave Yan Liqiang ten years to build his achievements and prove his capabilities in this position. However, a catastrophe would befall the Great Han Empire in four years time. Even if the Emperor was still alive then, he probably wouldn’t be able to care about an insignificant person like him in the distant Gan Province.

After a busy day in Deer Villa, Yan Liqiang left the place on the 18th. He also met up with Fang Beidou and the rest to inform them about some things.

Fang Beidou initially wanted to leave the Imperial Capital with Yan Liqiang, but he was convinced by the latter to stay behind. Although Yan Liqiang was leaving the Imperial Capital, ‘The Great Han Times’ must never be given away. Fang Beidou’s task for the next few years after Yan Liqiang left the Imperial Capital was to work with Eunuch Liu, make sure he preserved the control over ‘The Great Han Times’, and spread the influence of the newspaper throughout the capital regions.

Yan Liqiang told Fang Beidou that the possibility of saving the Great Han Empire from that catastrophe in the future hinged on this. His words gave Fang Beidou a sense of duty to stay in the Imperial Capital.

There were two newspapers in the Imperial Capital city right now. In addition to Yan Liqiang’s ‘The Great Han Times’, ‘The Imperial Capital Times’ also quietly appeared on the streets and in the teahouses at the start of the eighth lunar month. The layout and sections of ‘The Imperial Capital Times’ were exactly the same as ‘The Great Han Times’. It was a perfect copy of its successful predecessor. The owner of ‘The Imperial Capital Times’ was none other than Manager Gu of the Huaixiang Bookstore — at least that was what it looked like on the surface.

Those who knew the inside story would understand that the real owner behind ‘The Imperial Capital Times’ was actually Grand Chancellor Lin Qingtian and his allies. Since ‘The Great Han Empire’ was in the Emperor’s hands, then Lin Qingtian had to have another newspaper that could rival it. Hence, these two newspapers also became another form of the power struggle within the Imperial Capital.

After the morning meeting with Fang Beidou and the others, Yan Liqiang personally paid a visit to the Gan Provincial Guild Hall in the afternoon on the same day to meet Lu Peien and Manager You. Although both of them knew of Yan Liqiang’s plans to return to Gan Province beforehand, they were still shocked to hear that the Emperor had Yan Liqiang assume the post of Qiyun Protectorate General.

They even found it hard to believe because this appointment was simply beyond anyone’s expectations. No one knew what the Emperor was thinking. If this were to be described with a phrase from Yan Liqiang’s previous world, ‘silly talk’ would come into mind when most people heard about this appointment for the very first time because it made no sense.

Manager You in particular was looking at Yan Liqiang as though the latter was an alien after he finished speaking.

“Brother Liqiang, the title of the Qiyun Protectorate General isn’t a good one. The situation over at the Gulang Plains and Mount Qiyun is no longer the same as it was before. Anyone who dares to fly this ensign past the White Stone Pass is guaranteed to not make it back alive. Why did you accept such a dangerous title?”

Yan Liqiang smiled faintly. With the Psychic Serpent, the thoughts running through Manager You’s head were as clear as day to him. He had chosen to inform the latter in advance because he had his intentions. As soon as Manager You heard this, the northwestern influential Zhong Clan behind him would know about this too in just a few days, before Yan Liqiang even arrived at Gan Province. If the Zhong Clan knew, then half of the northwestern region would know too. Before he arrived at Gan Province in the northwestern region, word of this would brew for a while.

Yan Liqiang considered that as putting a smoke bomb to stir things up a little and have everyone make mental preparations. If he only announced this when he returned, that would be a little too sudden. This was his way of doing things, and outsiders would probably find it difficult to understand the complexities behind this.

“I didn’t expect His Majesty to appoint me this position either. I asked him if the imperial court is going to war against the Shatu Seven Tribes in the near future, but he shook his head and confidently told me that it’s not possible for that to happen within these ten years!” When Yan Liqiang said that, he could sense Manager You immediately sigh inwardly. The information might not mean anything to other people, but it was highly valuable for Manager You and the power behind him, especially when it came out of Yan Liqiang’s mouth.

“I also asked His Majesty if I have to lead a troop upon my return to Gan Province. He replied that I wouldn’t be given any soldiers, nor would I have the Gan Province army to fool around with me. He only bestowed the Pingxi Prefecture’s weaponsmiths quarter to me as a reward for pledging my loyalty by giving him ‘The Great Han Times’ and its office on Mount Longqi. He also told me that since I have some talent in the path of mechanics and the investigation of things, he gave me an empty title to frighten the Shatu Seven Tribes and to make the imperial court’s intention clear to them. I am allowed to do whatever I want for the rest. Even if the title is of no use, I can still be a rich man in the future!”

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“Now that makes sense!” Manager You immediately understood and no longer had a baffled look on his face. “Appointing a new Qiyun Protectorate General would indeed make the imperial court’s intentions clear to the Shatu Seven Tribes. They have certainly gone overboard over the past few years in the northwestern region. I’m guessing His Majesty intends to mess with them!”

“I’m sure that’s it!” Yan Liqiang smiled innocently. “Otherwise, His Majesty wouldn’t appoint a fifteen-year-old boy as some Qiyun Protectorate General and have me undertake a dangerous task without assigning any troops under me. He is only giving a tranquilizer to the Shatu Seven Tribes. If some Gan Provincial Governor were appointed as the Qiyun Protectorate General, a war might really break out. It doesn’t really matter if I am the one he appointed; he is just messing with them, but it is not enough to provoke them. In any case, I won’t easily take even half a step outside the White Stone Pass after my return to Gan Province. After all, I’m still a young boy who wishes to live for a few more years!”

“That’s good then. If Liqiang really wants to go out the White Stone Pass alone, I will do whatever I can to stop you from throwing your life away!” Lu Peien also breathed out a sigh of relief as the worry in his heart was dispelled.

Manager You calmed down. Something flashed across his eyes before a smile appeared on his face. “In any case, for Brother Liqiang to be chosen by His Majesty to take up the post of the Qiyun Protectorate General despite his young age is still an occasion worth celebrating. Brother Liqiang already has a great reputation in Gan Province, and he still managed to shine through even in the Imperial Capital city which is full of hidden dragons and crouching tigers. He is indeed the pride of Gan Province. I am certain that Brother Liqiang will have great prospects ahead of you when you return to Gan Province once again with your new status. Let me congratulate you here first today!”

“Hahaha, thank you for the auspicious words, Manager You!”

“Why don’t you stay here for dinner, Brother Liqiang? I shall have the kitchen cook up a feast for you as your farewell dinner!” Manager You suggested warmly.

“I am only here to bid my farewell to Sixth Brother and Manager You. I shall take my leave now. I still have a few more friends to meet in the Imperial Capital. If Manager You returns to Gan Province one day, why don’t we have our gathering then?”

“Since Brother Liqiang already has plans, I won’t force you. However, I would still like to give you something for your promotion. Why not a carriage for your journey back to Gan Province as a gift? It will be convenient for you to bring your things back and to rest in!”

“Haha, then I shall thank Manager You!”

……

Yan Liqiang didn’t tarry any longer in the Imperial Capital and immediately exited the city after leaving the Gan Provincial Guild Hall. Due to the attempted assassination incident, quite a few people were unlucky in the Imperial Capital city over these few days. People were terrified of Yan Liqiang’s presence now. Therefore, no one tailed him for the past few days, much to his pleasant surprise.

Yan Liqiang didn’t return to Deer Villa after exiting the city. He instead wandered along the public road for a while before finally arriving at a town he had never been to, known as Lihua Town, which was seven or eight li away in the northern outskirts of the Imperial Capital.

After walking one round in town, Yan Liqiang finally found his way to the Ten Steps Bridge on the western side of the town after asking for directions from a middle-aged woman. He stood beneath a tree not far from the bridge and waited in silence.

As the name implied, the Ten Steps Bridge was a small stone arch bridge that could be crossed with just ten steps. A clear river ran under the bridge. There were several stone steps by the river, and a group of women in town was either washing their clothes or some vegetables here.

When the sun was about to set and nearly all the women in town had left, a thin young lady who seemed to be only twelve or thirteen years old struggled to carry a basket that was half her height on her back. Walking to the riverside with her basket full of laundry, she carefully went down the stone steps and set her basket on the ground as she prepared to wash her laundry…

“That unlucky star who killed her entire family is here… Let’s stay away from her, I don’t want any bad luck on me…!”

The two women who were washing clothes by the river exchanged glances with each other when they noticed the young lady coming toward them. They moved away with a look of disgust on their faces and kept their distance from the girl…

The girl’s face turned pale when she heard the side conversation. She clenched her teeth, then silently took out the wooden stick that was thicker than her arm inside her basket and started beating hard on her clothes by the river…

The young lady’s name was Yu Qing…